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Introduction
Ensuring the health of the people is one of the major roles of any government. Even at the personal level, health concerns are very important. Health needs vary in different groups of society. However, some groups have higher health needs. Expectant mothers, children, and elderly people require more health attention because of their health needs. To ensure the good health of its people, a government should develop and implement a health policy (Littleton & Engebretson, 2005, p.87). A health policy can be used to identify areas that require more attention and develop criteria through which the health needs can be met. The health of pregnant mothers and their children has been of great concern in Australias Capital Territory (ACT Health, 2010, par 3). The government has been concerned with how it can promote optimal growth and development during the pregnancy of a mother and child. The health of pregnant mothers is of great importance, the health of the mother has a direct effect on the health of her child (Dewer, 2001, par 6). On the other hand, the Health and development of a child during pregnancy affect the future health, growth and development of a child. Prenatal care and fetal development, nutrition during pregnancy, pregnancy care facilities and substance abuse during pregnancy are major issues in Australia Capital Territory. To promote the health of pregnant mothers and their children, these issues must be addressed.
Prenatal care and fetal development
There are various causes of sub-optimal fetal growth and development. The causes include maternal characteristics such as nutrition and of a mother, genetic factors, and complications in pregnancy, unhealthy lifestyles and socio-economic factors (Newman & Newman, 2008, p. 134). Other factors include environmental factors, physical work during pregnancy and disease state (Lowrey & Watson, 1954, p. 107). Although some of the causes cannot be controlled, most of the causes can be avoided. Prenatal care is one of the best ways to prevent non-optimal development and promote healthy growth and development (World Health Organization, 2004, p.37).
Pregnancy is one of the challenging periods for most mothers. During this period, mothers require not only emotional and material support but also medical attention. Despite the dire need for prenatal care, not all mothers seek adequate prenatal care. Some mothers seek the services when they are late while, on rare occasions, some mothers fail to seek the required prenatal care (Marriot, 2002, par 3). Failure of failure to seek prenatal care is a major challenge to ensuring optimal growth and development.
Physical and emotional growth during pregnancy is rapid and vast. The pregnancy requires to be monitored in order to ensure that the progress of the pregnancy is good. To monitor pregnancies three trimesters or week to week format of monitoring pregnancy is applied (McCormick & Siegel, 1999, p.58). In some health facilities, monthly monitoring is used. In either of the formats, fetal development and how change occurs in pregnancy are monitored.
Prenatal care has great importance to the health of a mother and fetal growth and development. The care helps to pre-empt problems in pregnancy and implement the necessary measures that would promote the health of the mother and the child (Wildman, 2009, p. 72). New technologies in medical sciences have brought new devices that improve the efficiency of prenatal services. The factors that limit the use of prenatal care in the Australian Capital Territory include unexpected pregnancy, lack of sensitization and lack of adequate facilities.
Nutrition during Pregnancy
Nutrition is a core factor in health, growth and development in the whole cycle of development. Proper nutrition is required from the early phase of fetal development to old age (Latham, 1999, p.292). Each stage of development has special nutritional needs that should be fulfilled for optimal development. Good nutrition is especially important during the early stages of development. Nutritional issues during pregnancy are very important. The nutrition of the pregnant mother dictates where a child can acquire the necessary nutrients for growth and development (Martorell, 1999, p.288; Gortmaker, 1989, p.78). Poor nutrition during pregnancy and infancy has severe effects on a child. Poor nutrition can weaken a child and expose it to other illnesses; it can complicate a childs health or affect both the physical and mental growth of a child (Darroch & Landdry, 1998, par 6). Nutrition is a major factor in the optimal growth and development in Australia Capital Territory. Poor nutrition among pregnant mothers compromises the health of their children.
More than half of infant deaths in the world are associated with malnutrition. In Australia Capital Territory, there are various reported cases of complications or even infant deaths that are associated with poor nutrition (Beaudry, 1998, par 13). Poor nutrition in pregnancy resulting from poor lifestyles compromises both the mothers and childrens health. In considering the role of nutrition in growth and development, prenatal diet and its effect on a child and the mother should be taken into consideration.
Studies on growth and development show that prenatal nutrition has great effect on later health concerns of infants. Nutrition affects the physical, mental, and other aspects of a child (Stuart, Kirkwood & Burke, 2001, p. 56). For optimal development, the nutrition of and mother during pregnancy and the nutrition during infancy should place the infant in an environment that maximizes the infants potential for growth.
Pregnancy and infant care facilities
Optimal growth and development cannot be achieved without adequate facilities. Availability of facilities for providing care to pregnant mothers and infants is vital to the health and development of infants. Pregnant mothers and infants require more care than any other group (Shyken, 2009, par 9). Because of their vulnerability, pregnant mothers and infants should be provided with essential and adequate facilities. Pregnancy and infant care facilities are a major concern in Australias Capital Territory. Facilities for antenatal care, delivery and postnatal care are needed for optimal growth and development.
Pregnant mothers have various health needs. The health of the mother ought to be monitored in order to ensure that her health and that of her child are enhanced. Pregnant mothers are monitored to ensure that their health is good though out their pregnancy (Pillitteri, 2009, p. 78). Pregnancies are monitored to ensure that fetal development is normal. The facilities should have the ability to allow interventions to be made. In particular, pregnancy and infant care facilities must be able to handle complications.
To offer effective services, pregnancy, and infant care facilities should be equipped with the necessary equipment and personnel. Modern equipment that uses new technology is necessary (Hurlock, 1978, p. 212). Trained midwives and other personnel should provide information and serve pregnant mothers and infants. Australia Capital Terminal requires more facilities in order to improve the safety of pregnancy services, provide high-quality prenatal care offer information services to pregnant mothers. Although pregnancy and infant care services are provided in Australia Capital Territory, the facilities should be improved to meet the high demand for the facilities.
Substance use during Pregnancy
Substance use during pregnancy is one of the major challenges in pregnancy and infant management in Australia Capital Territory (Australia Capital Territory, 2001, p.39). The use of alcohol by mothers during pregnancy is a major challenge to health care provision. Alcohol use during pregnancy poses a challenge to optimal growth and development of infants (Doweiko, 2008, p.108).
Many mothers do not know the effects of alcohol on their pregnancy or their children. This leads to some mothers using alcohol when they are expectant. On the other hand, many health professionals do not frequently warn pregnant mothers against using alcohol when they are pregnant (Alcohol and Pregnancy Project, 2009, par 6). Many professionals are usually not prepared to explain the consequences of alcohol use in pregnant mothers and their children. However, health professionals have the responsibility to ask mothers about alcohol use assess the risks resulting from its use and assist the mothers to stop alcohol use during pregnancy.
Substance use, especially the use of alcohol has severe effects on pregnant mothers and their children. Alcohol can affect the growth and development of the fetus. Alcohol taken by a mother finds its way to the fetus (Jansson, Svikis & Lee, 1996, p. 67). In fact, the concentration of alcohol that penetrates the fetus is almost the same as in other parts of the mother. Since the fetus cannot fully metabolize alcohol, the alcohol can damage the fetus cells. Alcohol can also affect the flow of blood between the placental and fetus (Boyd, Marcellus, 2007, p. 68). The consequences of alcohol use during pregnancy include miscarriage and stillbirth. Alcohol use in pregnancy can also lead to prematurity, birth defects, brain damage, developmental delay and behavioral deficits.
Recommendation
Ensuring the health of every citizen is the primary responsibility of every government. Australia Capital Territory should, thus, work towards ensuring the health of its citizens. Optimal growth and development are the main gauges of health levels in a country. Australia Capital Territory should create an environment that promotes optimal growth and development from early fetal life to old age. Heath policy for the region should identify health needs and create a conducive environment for their attainment.
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To promote optimal health in pregnant mothers and their children, the administrative region should encourage practices that ensure health to mothers as well as infants.
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Prenatal services are important to optimal growth and development. Australia Capital Territory should encourage pregnant mothers to seek prenatal care early in their pregnancy. The service should be made better and free to every pregnant mother.
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Pregnancy and infant care facilities play an important role in improving optimal growth and development. The available facilities should be improved to offer better prenatal service, delivery service and postnatal services. Additional facilities should also be set up in order to make the care more available and accessible.
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Nutrition during pregnancy and infancy plays a major role in optimal growth and development. Australia Capital Territory should ensure good nutrition for mothers and infants. Pregnant mothers should be educated during prenatal services on the need for good nutrition. A program should be set up to identify and support needy mothers who cannot meet the minimum nutrition requirement for themselves and their children. A campaign should be set up to encourage mothers to breastfeed their infants to ensure that they get the required nutrition.
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To prevent the use of alcohol during pregnancy, midwives and other health professionals should be encouraged to inform pregnant mothers of the consequences of alcohol use to themselves and their children. They should also advise them on how to stop alcohol use and live healthy lives.
Reference List
ACT Health.2010. Pregnancy care at Canberra hospital . Web.
Alcohol and Pregnancy Project. 2009. Alcohol and Pregnancy and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder . Web.
Australia Capital Territory. 2001. Welcome to Canberra: Australian Capital Territory: information booklet for new settlers . Sydney: Chief Ministers Dept.
Beaudry, M. 1998. The Practice of public nutrition: Key contribution and the need for a shared understanding of the problems . Web.
Boyd, S. Marcellus, L. 2007. With Child: Substance Use during Pregnancy: A Woman-Centered Approach London: Fernwood Publishing Co., Ltd.
Darroch, J. & Landdry, D. 1998. The effects of Pregnancy planning status on birth outcome and infant care . Family Planning Perspective. Web.
Dewer, K. 2001. The challenge of promoting optimal infant growth . Web.
Doweiko, H. 2008. Concepts of Chemical Dependency . New York: Cengage Learning.
Gortmaker. S. 1989. The effects of prenatal care upon the health of the newborn . American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 69 No. 7.
Hurlock, E. 1978. Child Growth and Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Jansson, L. Svikis, D. & Lee, P. 1996. Pregnancy and addiction a comprehensive care model . Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. Vol. 13 No. 4.
Latham, M. 1999. A Mothers right to breastfeed: Removing the obstacle . Food and Nutrition Bulletin. Vol. 20 No. 3.
Littleton, L. & Engebretson, J. 2005. Maternity nursing care . New York: Cengage Learning.
Lowrey, G. & Watson, E. 1954. Growth and development of children . New York: Year Book Publisher.
Marriot, B. 2002. Fetal and Neonatal growth and development Workshop . Web.
Martorell R. 1999. The Nature of child Malnutrition and its long-term implications . Food and Nutrition Bulletin. Vol. 20 No. 3.
McCormick, M. & Siegel, J. 1999. Prenatal care: effectiveness and implementation . Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press.
Newman, P. & Newman, B. 2008. Development through Life: A Psychosocial Approach . New York: Cengage Learning.
Pillitteri, A. 2009. Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family . London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Shyken, J. 2009. Foetal Growth and Development . Web.
Stuart, H. Kirkwood, S. & Burke, B. 2002. The influence of Nutrition during Pregnancy upon the condition of the infant . Web.
Wildman, R. 2009. The nutritionist: food, nutrition, and optimal health . New York: Taylor & Francis.
World Health Organization. 2004. Optimizing Foetal Growth and Development Web.
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